A STATEMENT ON AFFINITY GROUPS
O
ver a 24 hour period between August 5–6, 2021 there was activity on Mazama social media that led to the temporary suspension of two individuals from our Facebook forum due to violations of the written forum guidelines.
The Executive Council, Climbing Committee, and Acting Executive Director feel it is important to state, in no uncertain terms, that we actively encourage, fully support, and endorse the creation of affinity groups and safe spaces for historically underrepresented and marginalized groups at the Mazamas. There have been women's only groups in BCEP and for climbs on and off for the last 50 years, and in recent years there have been LGBTQ, BIPOC, and Substance Free groups as well as climbs and activities for those groups. These spaces are absolutely critical to working towards building a welcoming and inclusive environment at the Mazamas for everyone who loves the mountains, but who may have felt unsafe and/or unwelcome without those groups. We know that we have a long way to go towards building that environment, and these affinity groups are the first step. We wholeheartedly reject the concept of reverse discrimination, and do not support accusations that affinity groups are akin to discrimination. Rather, affinity groups are working to undo the structural racism and exclusion that has existed within the outdoor industry since its inception.
The Mazamas has work to do towards being a welcoming and inclusive space for all. We acknowledge that fact and will continue to work to create spaces for people of diverse backgrounds to participate in our organization. This includes working to support the affinity groups we have and the creation of additional affinity groups as desired, reviewing our policies & procedures for problematic language and practices, and doing our best to listen and hear the concerns of our membership and the community. We thank all of you for being Mazama members and for taking the time to read and process this statement. Executive Council Climbing Committee Acting Executive Director
MAZAMA AFFINITY GROUPS
T
he Mazamas strives to provide safe spaces for specific groups of people to meet and support each other as well as to foster a greater sense of community within the Mazamas. We know that while the mountain community is a safe and welcoming space for many people, it isn't always so for people who are underrepresented in our industry, organization, and leadership. Having affinity space is a crucial part of moving towards a truly inclusive community. Here is a list of the current affinity groups at the Mazamas.
■ Mazama Classics is for individuals who have been members for 25 years or more. Classics Events are designed for Mazama Members with 25 years or more of membership. Classics offer a variety of year-round activities including hikes, picnics, and cultural excursions. You'll have the opportunity to share years of happy Mazama memories with the Classics Group. All ages are welcome to join the fun! ■ Adventurous Young Mazamas (AYM) offers activities targeted to those in their 20s and 30s and anyone young at heart. All activities are open to everyone, regardless of age. If you join an
6 MAZAMAS
AYM event you can expect great leaders, awesome locations, and overall, a ton of FUN! ■ Melanated Mazamas is the new Mazama group for Black, Indigenous, Brown, People of Color, and/or folks who are from the global majority. The Melanated Mazamas is a community for folks to gather, support, and adventure together. This is a BIPOC-only space. We appreciate white allies, but ask that white folks respect this space created specifically for the Mazamas BIPOC community. Interested in joining? Contact melanated@ mazamas.org.
